Oslo – Norway

Welcome to the Oslo cruise port guide. Oslo is the capital city and most populous city in Norway with just over 600.000 inhabitants. The Norwegians classify a town of over 30.000 inhabitant to be a city. Bergen being their 2nd largest city with 260.000 inhabitants. So you could imagine that Oslo is something different to the Norwegians. They often call it their only city and this is how everybody like it. Most Norwegians would never dare to come to the big cities but there is always that crowd that embraces that with open arms. When walking in Oslo you can see that everything is so well thought out. The way that the city is with its main street Karl Johan, pedestrian area, with it’s ambiance and architecture. And what you’ll also notice is that it is changing. There are so many cranes you will be able to spot on the horizon if you take a look from your ship. The waterfront is changing, the architecture is changing and the traffic is changing. Oslo is really classifying itself as the metropol it deserves to be. Go out and take in all that city life. There is always something new to explore in vibrant Oslo.

Cruise ships can dock at several location ins Oslo.

A cruise ship is docked at the Akershus pier

There is 1 cruise terminal in the port of Oslo. This is at the Akershus pier. Inside you will find shops, map, wi-fi and global refund services available. From here it is 10 minute walk to the city center. In the background you can already see the city hall.

Only the Akershus pier has a terminal with maps, Tax Refund services, shops and wifi. The other docks do not have these facilities although maps are sometimes brought to the pier. All docks are about 1 km from the Karl Johan Gate (main street). The nice thing about all of the docks is that the city center is so close and most things are within walking distance from here.

There are 2 important attractions for which you will need transportation to get to. These are the Vigeland park and the Bygdoy island on which Viking ship museum, Kon Tiki Museum, Fram Museum and the Open Air Museum are located. Find out underneath how to get there.

Transportation

Oslo might just have the best local transport system and transportation option of Norway.

Public transportation system

There is no bus stop right outside of the port, but there is at about a 10 minute walk, depending on where you dock. See the map for the locations of the tram and bus stops. The 2 most important lines to remember on a visit to Oslo is tram 12 goes to the Vigeland park and back to the city. See map for its most convenient stops and bus 30 to Bygdoy where it will pass the Fram Museum, Kon Tiki museum, Open Air museum and Viking ship museum. These are the most important lines as most of the other attractions are in the city center within walking distance of the ship. Tickets for the public transportation system need to be pre-bought at the tourist information center or kiosk. It is about 35 NOK per ticket and you can pay with credit card. Find out more about public transport via: https://ruter.no/en/travel-planner/network-maps/

Taxis

Taxis are generally in the morning available right outside the port. Official taxis you can recognize by their taxi sign. If there are no taxis there the security at the gates is usually able to call you one. Keep in mind though that taxis in Norway are expensive. Take into account it will cost you about 700 NOK (100 USD) per hour and 25 USD for an easy taxi ride of 10 minutes. But there are definitely other cheaper options available for you.

Hop on hop off bus

There is a hop on hop off bus available in Oslo. It doesn’t matter where you dock, these guys will make it work to pick you up. Hop on hop off bus is quit a nice way to get around the city. If you are planning to visit the place out of the city center this is a nice way to do it. Buy your ticket on the pier and hop on. The bus is wheelchair accessible. Keep in mind though that sometimes this service tends to sell more tickets than they have capacity and that could mean you might have to stand for a long time at a stop for the next available bus.

Oslo City Train Sightseeing

At the Akerhus pier there is a stop for a little trolley train. It takes you around for a city tour.

FAQ about Oslo cruise destination

– Does the hop on hop off bus accept credit card? Yes, they do.

– Where can I change money? You can change money at the tourist information centers. Keep in mind it is probably cheaper for you to get it out of an ATM. Don’t change to much in NOK. Changing money costs money and changing back cost even more. 98 % of all businesses take credit card in Norway.

– How do I pay for a ticket for public transportation? If you prebuy them at the tourist information or at a kiosk it is cheaper than to buy them separately on the bus or tram.

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